On a brisk afternoon in January 2020, as the steely winter sun pushed its way in broad swaths to fill the light, bright, and cheerful corner restaurant space at Fraser and East 27th, the excitement was bubbling over as Say Mercy! neared its debut.
The restaurant was a bold concept from the crew behind the acclaimed Mackenzie Room, with Chef Sean Reeve behind a menu based on the romantic and playful notion of a love affair between Italy and the American South.
This was, of course, before the Michelin Guide came to town.
This was also before the whole world came to a screeching halt just a few weeks later, and restaurants, like Say Mercy!, had to actually pivot more times than Ross Geller shouted the word in a fictional stairwell under the weight of a hard-to-move couch.
And Say Mercy! did pivot, hard. Without any time to establish themselves, the owners scrapped it all to build a take-out ready-to-eat meal concept that doubled as a way to support industry colleagues who suddenly had no jobs to go to.
When life in restaurants resumed, so did Say Mercy!, picking up where it left off and garnering the attention of the Michelin Guide, whose anonymous inspectors have granted the cozy Fraserhood spot a spot on its list of value-driven Bib Gourmand picks for three consecutive years.
But soon, Say Mercy! will close its doors for good.
The owners shared the news on October 12 in a heartfelt message on social media.
One of Vancouver's best restaurant tales of grit, compassion, creativity, and good eats will reach its conclusion following its final service on November 2, owners revealed.
"It has been an honour to serve this neighbourhood and create connections that go beyond food," they noted, following a summary highlighting Say Mercy!'s unique origin and evolution story and what it has brought to their staff and community.
The Say Mercy! menu remains a meld of Italian-meets-BBQ, with dishes like its signature "BBQ Bolo" (a pasta with a rich, hearty, tangy Bolognese-style sauce) remaining an enduring favourite. As part of its value-focused approach, Say Mercy! has offered a family-style tasting menu at an approachable price featuring chef's choice dishes (diners just need to ask their server to have "Jesus take the wheel,").
Guests are encouraged to come in for a last meal at Say Mercy! before they close on Nov. 2.
In addition to the Mackenzie Room, the same owners also have Collective Goods, the French-ish bistro in East Vancouver. The Say Mercy! location, at 4298 Fraser St, was recently listed as being a business up for sale, however, no future plans for the space have been made public.
Here's the Say Mercy! farewell note in full:
Well friends, we have some news to share. It is with a heavy heart that Say Mercy announces its closure, with the final service set for November 2, 2024. After five wonderful years serving the Fraserhood community, the team at Say Mercy would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all of the guests and neighbours who have supported us throughout this incredible journey.
Despite our sadness in closing, we are grateful to reflect on the many ways in which Say Mercy has impacted the community and contributed to making our city an exciting place to live. Since opening our doors, Say Mercy has been dedicated to not just serving food, but creating a heartfelt experience for both guests in our room, and friends in our community. Only eight weeks after first opening, we spearheaded a beautiful program of giving, in a very uncertain time; our Staff Meal Initiative is something we will be forever proud of, and grateful to the Vancouver restaurant community for supporting. We’ve forged lasting relationships and have seen tremendous growth in our staff, and have been privileged to celebrate countless milestones with our patrons. We never imagined our little spot would win three consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards, and we will be proud of those long after our doors close.
The heart of our menu, inspired by southern BBQ and classic Italian, has always been a culinary commitment to creating opportunities for celebrating beautiful moments, shared over delicious meals. We are immensely grateful for the support and love from the Fraserhood community. It has been an honour to serve this neighbourhood and create connections that go beyond food.
As we approach our final days, we invite everyone to join us for one last meal and celebrate the magic of community that Say Mercy has been proud to be a part of. We encourage all patrons to visit us before November 2nd to enjoy some BBQ bolo and experience this unexpected love story one last time.
Thanks to all our staff from over the years, you all made this room so much fun. Cheers to what comes next 🍴
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